By Judge Liz Sumter
I am pleased to pass along this 2008 review. On the environmental front, the Court dedicated funds from the May 2007 park bond to purchasing Jacob’s Well, and moved the Regional Habitat Conservation Plan toward its final draft. I expect the plan to be approved by the Court within weeks, after which we will forward it to the federal government for final approval. Finally, your Commissioners Court stood by its position that it is inappropriate to discharge treated effluent into an intermittent stream that flows across the Barton segment of the Edwards Aquifer Recharge zone, and did not sign onto the settlement agreement in a contested case that would have allowed such a discharge. The case is now pending final action at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
The Court’s commitment to water resources continued on a number of fronts, not the least of which is our decision to undertake a county-wide water and wastewater facility planning study. I am proud of all the municipalities, private/coop water companies and river authorities that offered both letters of support, financial and in-kind commitments toward the study. Additionally, your county government has applied for a regional drainage study grant. If funds are granted, the three to four year study will identify areas that are at risk for damage due to flooding and allow us to mitigate those damages in advance.
A road bond package totaling slightly more than 200 million dollars was overwhelmingly passed by voters in November. In an effort to produce quick, cost effective results, the Court has adopted a process whereby each Commissioner will be responsible for the roads within his/her precinct. The court has an ambitious schedule to complete the majority of projects within three years and to be finished with all of the projects within four years.
In an effort to create a government that is characterized by maximum transparency and accessibility I am pleased to report that the weekly Commissioners Court Agenda is now paperless, and can be viewed via the internet. In an effort to further expand accessibility, I hope to bring the Commissioners Court weekly meetings to viewers in a live, real-time format via the internet. Finally, a Public Information Officer will soon be on board to assist in getting even more information out to you about county projects, initiatives and programs.
I am committed to increasing both the quantity and quality of health care services in the county. Even though the County did not receive the Federally Qualified Health Clinic (FQHC) grant that we sought, our commitment to open a clinic by January of this year will be met I will continue to be involved in regional conversations and resolutions of our healthcare needs and push to bring a more diversified system of service to Hays County citizens.
The SHOOT SAFE Hays County initiative has been a source of particular pride for the court.
It was launched in the late summer of last year reminding citizens that the safe use of firearms prevents accidents. Please take the time to go to the website www.ShootSafeHaysCounty.com and get informed about this program. If you would like to get involved in the campaign this year please contact me.
Looking ahead and planning for the future is another of my top priorities. Although Commissioners Court did not move forward with a county-wide strategic planning effort, I will continue to press forward with this issue. Because the economy has slowed to some degree, this is an ideal time to plan for Hays County and its future. If we are to manage our future growth in a comprehensive manner, we need a strategic plan for water, transportation, parks, infrastructure, and economic development. It is also imperative that we have such a plan if we are to take advantage of any possible state and federal infrastructure dollars.
As I begin looking at my 2009 calendar, I can’t help but reflect back on all the entries in my 2008 calendar. As was the case during my first year in office, the weekly Commissioners Court meetings were far outnumbered by meetings that frequently took me out of the Courthouse and into areas throughout our county to meet with citizen groups and attend public ceremonies and meet with city councils and school districts. I also attended regional, board and committee meetings, as well as many workshops in conjunction with Commissioners’ Court meetings. I look forward to seeing you in Commissioners Court someday soon.